Art of building construction



Nov.17,1936. c. H. SCHUH 2,061,486

4 I ART OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 26, 1935 INVENTOR 7 .CHARLES H. SCHUH.

w L BY Q mm ATTOR.NEY

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 PATENTO-FFICE v 2,061,486 ART OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Charles H. Schuh, Ridgewood, N. Y., assignor to Mlcrocel Corporation, South River, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 26, 1935, Serial No. 3,5l9

' building, carpenters were required to put up the frame work, which has been a slow and expensive process. The brick type of building required masons and bricklayers for the erection of walls which was a slow and costly process. Further- 15 more, the finishing of both the interior and exterior of the building required the services of skilled mechanics of one or more of the following classes: plasterers, shinglers, stucco mechanics, lnaftex mechanics, paper hangers, painters and decorators, etc. The employment of this type of labor has been expensive and in many casesthe materials used have likewise been expensive. Although many attempts have been made to remedy the aforesaid situation and to provide the art with an economical type of building construction, but none, as faras I am aware,

has been wholly satisfactory, practical and acceptable.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel building and structural unit which is collapsible and by the use of which it is possibleto erect a building easily and quickly and with the employment of unskilled mechanics.

A further object of the invention is to provide a building block, the two exterior surfaces of which are smoothed'polished, or otherwisefinished whereby a wall may be erected having an interior and exterior which present an attractive and desirable finished appearance.

40 It is also an object of the invention to provide a building block which when erected will form a hollow structure comprising an outside wall of selected composition and thickness and an inside wall of selected-composition and thickness which can be secured or fastened to concrete purlins of a'predetermined size which are spaced apart at appropriate distances.

The invention likewise contemplates the provision of a building block of controlled physical properties including strength, weight, hardness, color, surface finish, appearance and the like.

It is within the contemplation of the invention to provide a building block which has a minimum weight and which is collapsible whereby 5 its size is reduced to a minimum for shipping purposes, for facilitating packing and crating and for providing greater protection against damage to the surfaces of the block in transit.

Other objects and advaalages of the invention will become apparent from the following 5 description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: a

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a building block embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 illustratesa top plan view of my building block and shows in dotted lines one wall of the block in a collapsed condition; and

Fig; 3 depicts a perspective view of part of a wall constructed with my building blocks. 15

Generally speaking, my invention essentially comprises two'spaced panels of predetermined size, composition and thickness which are held in parallel positions with respect to-each other by two metal connectors or strips having enough 20 elasticity to bend whereby the two panels may be brought together, thus forming a collapsible building unit. Themetal strips are so placed and anchored that when the blocks are in normal position in the wall of a building said metal 25 1 strips will form vertical, hollow ducts which,

when filled with concrete and, if desired, withreinforcing elements, .will constitute columns, purlins, or the like of proper dimensions properly spaced in the wall. 30

Referring more particularly to Fig. l, the reference characters I and 2 designate two rectangular panels, preferably of molded cementitious composition. These two panels are connected by two metal spacing strips or connectors 3 and i. 35 The horizontal edges of the two panels are shown with oil-sets which fit into and engage mating off-sets of another block. The vertical ends of these panels are shown without any oil-set and I are adapted to form butt joints when a plurality 40 of blocks are placed end to end. To keep these butt jointstight while construction is in progress, a projecting screw is preferably provided at 5, around which wire may be wound joining one block with the next. 01' course, oif-sets, pins 45 and the like may be used to Join adjacent blocks to each other.

In Fig. 2 a plan view of my block is shown which illustrates in dotted lines the position of the panels of the block when folded up or colo lapsed for shipment. In this condition, panel 2 swings into the position of the dotted lines at 8 and the 'metal strips or connectors assume the position of the dotted lines at 8 and I. I

In Fig. 3, the inside sheeting or interior memher I of the wall comprising a plurality of panels and the outside sheeting or exterior member 0 comprising a. plurality of corresponding panels are clearly shown. These interior and exterior members are reinforced by concrete puriins, columns or the like one of which is designated by the reference character ii. In practice these concrete purlins are cast in piece as construction progresses by filling in with concrete or other,

cementitious material the vertical ducts formed by the metal. species strips or connectors. In some instance, reinforcing" members it may be incorporated in the puriin, etc. and may be loceted in. diagonal relation to each other or the like. Between the concrete purlins, columns or the liise in the well are hollow chambers ii. iii desired. these hollow chambers may readily be filled with en insulating material or any other desired material.

The erection of well by use of the improved collapsible buil ing block. is a. very s e met-- ter and can be carried out by any nslzlllezl mecil g the in. lover blocks some a must he t2 oriented s .pendiculnr and. the ontel and fell in s line as those skilled in the art will readily understand. After the layer of blocks is set, it is merely necessary to place one block directly ebove another in the successive-levers as may be clearly in 3. It is to benoted that the construction. of horizontal edges of the blocks is such as to prevent the blocks from slipping out of alignment in the. some manner as the fienged wheel oi? at our prevent it from slipping on a. track. Moreover, since no mortar has in be used between the edges oi. the iolccns and since the blocks are molded or machined very exact dimensions, both the inside out side surfaces of well will be very smooth and the crocss between the blocks will be hardly ner= ceptible. peerence of sninlnld urface. @f course, nest cement or some other smooth. and cement or binder may be applied between the joints.

The vertical ducts in the wall may be filled with concrete as eeclv. successive lever is mounted in position or alter severcl lovers have been set in place. filling in these vertical duets with concrete, steel reinforcement rods may else be used to provide increased strength, if desired. it will be noted that wlientlie well is finished each panel ls fastened to two concrete purlins end in feet, the whole acts as and constitutes single unit. it is manifest to those skilled in the art that this type of construction provides maxi mum strength with minimum consumption of material.

It is to be noted. tiutt in eerie/"ins the invention into prectice, c large variety of materials may be used without departing from the spirit and .scope of the invention. Thm, for example,

Fig. l, the two panels i and 2, may represent sheets of molded composition oi cement and esbestos or of a clay product or afiorous product. .fI'he metal strips or connectors and t may be composed of any metal or suitable material copeble of functioning in the some manner and may be molded into or fastened or hinged to the wall panels in a variety of ways without aflecting the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, 22. modification of the edges of the panels, such as to provide on oiI-set on the two vertical edges similar to that on the horizontal edges, or to In practice, the lolociss give the tongue and groove the edges so as to allow them to function in the same manner when placed in position in a wall, would obviously be within the purview of this invention.

I ciaim:

1. A collapsible building block comprising two rectangular panels, and two imperforate rectangular strips of flexible metal having their ends rigidly fixed in said panels holding same in parallel spaced relationship and extending through. the entire height of said panels, said panels being adapted to be brought together during transportation by bending said strips and to form after their erection vertical duets with said strips capable of being filed out with e. structure! mass.

A collapsible building block comprising two recteneuler panels, and two iinr rete rectem strips of flexible motels g their endsrigidly; lined in said panels holding" some in perellel spaced reletionshi and extending through. the entire height of nets, sold motel strips being normellv perpencl uler to the two panels and forming vertical with. the terminal portions of sold penels end cepelole of being to bring said panels together dining tremporte tion.

3. A collapsible building: block comprising two rectangular pmieh having" their horizontal edges provided with effect." to hold panels in alignment in a well, and two iniperiorcte strips of flexible metal their ends igidly fixed in said panels holding some in parallel spaced relationship and extending through the entire height of seld panels, said. panels being adopted to be brought together during transportation by bending said strips end to form after their erection vertical duets with said strips capable ct being filled out with e. structmsl mess.

4. A collapsible building block comprising two rectangular panels, engaging moons provided on all edges of said panels tor holding said penele in alignment in a well, and two lmperiorete strips oi flexible motel having "their ends rigidly lined in said panels holding some in parallel spaced relationship and attending through the entire height oi said panels, sold panels being adopted to lee brought together during transportetlon by bending said strips and to form after their erection vertical ducts with said strips c2. noble or being filled out with c, structurcl 5. A collapsible building block comprising two rectangular panels, projecting means provided on the inside of said panels for eneeeing'iestenins;

means adapted to hold the ends of sold panels tightly together with the ends oi adjacent panels in o. well, end two mperforcte strips of flexible metal hevlng their ends rigidly fined in one panels holding some in parallel spaced relationship and extending through the entire height of said panels. said panels lacing adopted to he brought together during transportation by bendinc sold strips and to oiter their erection.

vertical ducts strips capable of being Gil in saidv panels and '7. A collapsible building block comprising two panels of diflerent composition and thickness corresponding to the respective requirements of an inside and outside sheeting in a building wall construction, 'and two imperforate flexible metal connecting strips having their ends molded extending through the entire height thereof, said panels being adapted to be brought together during transportation by bending said strips and to form aiter'their erection vertical duets with said strips capable of being nlled out with astructural mass.

8 A collapsible building block having panels with finished surfaces on the inside and outside of the finished building wall, and two imperiorate flexible metal connecting strips having their ends molded in said panels and extending through the 5 entire height thereof, said panels beinfl adapted to be brought together during transportation by bending said strips and to form after their erection vertical ducts with said strips capable of being filled out with a structural mass. 10

CHARLES H. SCHUH. 

